Fruit Fly Control

I am just curious if anyone has heard of a homemade fly paper type remedy for fruit flies? We have these in our office at work and would like something natural to use, as we have people in our office 24/7. Thanks for any response.

Best Answer

I tried everything and found the most natural remedy to be about 1/4-1/3 cup apple cider vinegar with a few drops of cooking oil in a glass. Keep this near fresh fruit (or wherever the flies are) and they will dive into the mixture and drown. It works better than anything else.

Use apple cider vinegar - a couple of ounces in a small glass such as a jelly jar/juice glass or even a shot glass, and add just 1-2 drops of any dish liquid. The dead fruit flies will accummulate on the bottom. Just dump and refill as needed. I place them near any fruit or veggies that sit out, and near my trash can.

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Any quick easy tips to get rid of fruit flies in the kitchen? savtajon

RE: Fruit Fly Control

First pour bleach down your drains and wash all your fruit. (10/19/2004)

By dsbaby14

RE: Fruit Fly Control

Take small bowls filled with apple cider vinegar with 3 to 5 drops of dish washing liquid mixed in and place where you notice the flies. They will be attracted to the vinegar and as they investigate will drown since the soap creates a barrier that prevents them from escaping. Empty the bowls daily and keep putting out fresh bowls of the vinegar mixture until the flies are gone. With severe problems you may find that the vinegar traps work for a while and then stop working. This tends to occur when several different types of fruit flies are present. Some are attracted to the vinegar scent and others don't seem to notice. When the vinegar doesn't work you can use left over wine. Leave the wine in the bottle add a couple of drops of the dish soap and leave the opened bottle where you notice the most flies. Good luck! (10/19/2004)

By Deb

RE: Fruit Fly Control

You have to make sure that there is nothing a fruit fly can eat. I have a dish washing soap dispenser sitting on the counter. I found them clustered on that. I think they were eating the soap! When I have a problem I take everything off my counter. I bleach all surfaces, including the sink and sink drain. I cover the cat food and move it out of my kitchen. You can not have anything in your house that they can eat. They do not just stay in the kitchen either. They will go anywhere in your house that they can find something to eat. I have tried the trick of putting some fruit in a brown paper bag. This works okay for me...I slowly move up to the bag and swoop down on it, trapping the bugs inside the bag. I have not tried the bowl of vinegar and soap yet. The next time I have the little pests I will try that. (10/19/2004)

RE: Fruit Fly Control

RE: Fruit Fly Control

I found the best way to get rid of fruit flies was to leave an unrinsed wine bottle open on the counter, then cork it when a lot of fruit flies are inside. It will take a few days for the fruit flies to die so move it to your garage once you've caught a bunch. Another option is to put fruit (I used pineapple) in a jar to lure in the fruit flies and then cover. Again, wait until they die before opening the jar. I didn't have good luck with the dishwashing liquid. Good luck to you! (10/19/2004)

By Sandy

RE: Fruit Fly Control

All of the posted feedback suggestions are good, but I might add to not leave any dirty dishes in the sink, keep the trash can emptied, at night pour bleach down all drains in the house and close them. They are a pest, but something we live with and expect each spring and fall here in the area where there is farming. Not really sure where they come from-but right now a lot of watermelons and pumpkins are being harvested and of course they are attracted to the busted fruit! (10/20/2004)

By Connie

RE: Fruit Fly Control

I had a terrible problem this summer with the fruit flies all over the house, anywhere there was a drain. A friend told me to pour 1 cup of bleach down the drains and follow with boiling water. I continued using boiling water down every drain (kitchen, bath etc) daily for about a week and and do this at the first sign of them. Works great, no more problems (10/21/2004)

RE: Fruit Fly Control

I've come to learn that fruit flies don't like hairspray. I haven't tried anything else yet. My mom has them and the lady I live with ahs them and we hate them. They drive us crazy. We are learning how to deal with them now. I also heard that if you put up one of those fly gold stick it'll take them away as well. Please let me know of anything else that works to kill them. Thanks. (11/07/2004)

By Crystal.

RE: Fruit Fly Control

Check you washing machine lint catcher.they like to breed there & in machine. Spray with bug killer, tape shut & wash. Put milk or wine in soda bottle. Plastic wrap mouth or tape it and poke a small hole, let it set for a few days, shake it occasionally. Don't let food sit on dishes in dishwasher. Hair spray or windex slows them down so you can kill them. They also like damp paper towels so pitch them. The expensive traps work but not well enough. (03/01/2005)

By ann

RE: Fruit Fly Control

IF what you have is fruit flys than any one of the suggestions given should work. However sometimes gnats are mistaken for them, as the other guest said. Do you have pets? Specifically cats? If your litter box is not cleared of cat feces on a frequent basis, gnats will become a problem in your home. If you do have cats, change the litter and you'll notice that your gnat problem with literally stop overnight. Good luck. (03/02/2005)

RE: Fruit Fly Control

I have found that rather than using chlorine bleach to disinfect the drains (which is not at all good for the water supply), using straight vinegar, followed by a kettle full of boiling water, will do the trick, without the harm to the environment. (07/23/2005)

By flowergirl

RE: Fruit Fly Control

When you buy produce at the grocery store, and you bring it home. Rinse it under the taps. Fruit flies lay their eggs on Banana Skins. Wash the bananas as soon as you can, and you won't get fruit flies in your kitchen. (09/23/2005)

By Evelyn Jepson

RE: Fruit Fly Control

I sit an apple or banana out for a few hours waits till its crawling with them then spray furniture polish on them then just hoover them up it works really well also if you see one flying threw the air just spray the furniture polish on them and they fall to the ground (09/30/2006)

By

RE: Fruit Fly Control

I have lots of fruit flies right now and I can't seen to get rid of them !!! I have tried everything and nothing has worked (not sure were they came from) my place is clean there is no fruit around Need Help (11/25/2006)

By christy

RE: Fruit Fly Control

I pour bleach down my drains and cover them I also keep my vacuum in the kitchen with the hose attachment on and bait the fruit flies out with a dirty dish. once they are on the dish I vacuum them off of it and out of the air. it gets rid of them pretty good. don't forget to empty your vacuum. (06/03/2007)